


Dance to the Sounds of Heartbeats

by fuckinqueen



Series: Meronia Event 2021 [6]
Category: Death Note (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Ballroom, Because yes, Dancing, Don't Like Don't Read, FTM, Headcanon that no matter what gender Near has a female body, I dunno why, Just… warning tag, L has a ballroom, M/M, Meronia Event 2021, Okay no more pointless tags, Sometimes I ignore that headcanon, To let you know, Trans Near | Nate River, dancing in a ballroom, just to clarify, obviously, that rich bastard
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-19
Updated: 2021-02-19
Packaged: 2021-03-15 03:28:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,268
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29429565
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fuckinqueen/pseuds/fuckinqueen
Summary: Day 6: February 19 - Black/White
Relationships: Mello | Mihael Keehl/Near | Nate River
Series: Meronia Event 2021 [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2148141
Kudos: 17
Collections: Meronia Event (Feb 14 - Feb 20 2021)





	Dance to the Sounds of Heartbeats

**Author's Note:**

> Strangely, Carrie Underwood's song from 2016, "Dancing to the rhythm of your heartbeat~" started playing after I made this draft and started writing it…

Near frowns, at picks at his ridiculous, white suit-thing that Linda insisted he wear to this… dance. 

He would've preferred not to go in the first place, but after Linda pleaded and pleaded and gave him puppy eyes several times, and then told him he can go in all-white, because it doesn't matter, he gave in. He hates letting his best friend down sadly. 

He mumbles an apology as someone runs into him. He gets a dirty look in return. If he were Mello, he'd probably snap about how it was the other person's fault (and if he truly were Mello, everyone'd be afraid to run into him), but he just wants to sink into the floor and die.

He spots Linda, and melts. She's dancing with Matt in a beautifully elegant black-and-white dress… like every other female here. Matt is in a black-and-white suit. Again, just like everyone else here. 

Near sighs and stares at the floor. 

"Ahem." He glances up, and he's shocked by what he sees. Well… not too shocked, but still shocked. 

Mello's standing there, glaring at Near. Which isn't surprising at all, but… what he looks like is but isn't. 

His hair is down, and it isn't frizzy or tangled for once. It's just down, and it still moves, it isn't molded into shape. It flows around his face and stops at his chin as always. 

His hands are shoved into the pockets of his all-black suit. The suit fits his body perfectly, makes him look slimmer, but not straight lines, he looks like he has curves… (which he probably does, but Mello insists on wearing that godawful coat anytime he stops in for even a second) it also makes him look taller. He's elegant. Willowy… just… beautiful. Near's loving every second of it. 

"You gonna keep staring, weirdo?" Mello snorts. "Ugh." Near frowns, shakes his head, and briefly wonders what he looks like to Mello… 

…

Mello keeps himself from smiling at Near's image. The younger male is wearing all-white, which is something Mello was expecting as he lazily doodled the dance, and even how Near would look. (In the sketch, Near's frowning like a cartoon character, and his arms are out with his fingers spread, and he's wearing a ridiculously old-fashioned suit.) 

Near's suit is soft-looking, and for once, some of his clothes aren't so loose. Mello can see the smallest edges of a shape. Unlike how Near looks in his pajamas, obviously. All bulk and annoying lines. Of course, Mello doesn't blame Near for wearing really loose clothes. 

The cuffs on the suit - single cuffs, like Mello's, and probably like several other's - are longer, covering most of Near's fingers. Near probably asked for that himself, since the blonde knows that Linda fashioned the whole thing, besides little touches of Near here and there.

Near's hair curls and bounces, as fluffy as always. So that's something that hasn't changed. His eyes are shining, though. Even when he's looking awkward and nervous. That's a sign of being happy either subconsciously, or just hiding it. Mello's face softens. He loves this view. He's have to draw it later. 

But back to the task at hand… 

…

"So." Mello stops being silent, and Near relaxes some. "I noticed you from a mile away. All white. Because of course." Near's soaring spirits sink slightly. _Why does he always have to insult me…?_ "It's… it's pretty. You look great." The words come out gruffly, and Near debates whether Mello means it. "…Handsome…" this word slides out easily. Flowing. Just like the blonde's hair.

Near purses his lips, trying not to smile too much. 

"See? This is why everyone thinks you're small." Mello growls. Near tilts his head curiously. "Because you get so cute. Stop doing that thing with your mouth." 

Near pouts. "What if I don't want to?" Mello's jaw clenches. 

"That thing too. You better not do that with anyone else." Near stops, looking slightly worried. Where did all this possessiveness come from all of a sudden? What's more worrying, is Near likes it. It's always a bad idea to be attracted to or in a relatinship with someone who's overly possessive, manipulative, jealous, and obsessive. 

But this is Mello. Mello will protect him. He always has, really. Especially when others make fun of Near, and sometimes when they aren't doing anything. 

Mello would be bullying Near about something random, and then someone would walk by, and Mello would automatically shift to shield Near with his body without even a pause. 

Now, once someone has shoved Near up against a wall and was insisting that, in fact, Near was a girl, although, in fact, no he isn't. Near doesn't even know what he did to provoke that fellow… 

Mello happened apon them - although Near thinks it was on purpose; Mello had a habit of stalking Near - and he tore the guy away from Near in a burst of anger/adrenaline. The two got in a fight, and the other guy won, because Mello was, and still is, pretty skinny. (The thing he's got going now is muscles, but you can't see them unless the blonde is actually using them. Actually, the thing that Mello had then and seems to have more of now is curves.) 

Mello was bleeding from his nose, and his knuckles were red and also bloody from the other guy's face, but he still came over and sat next to Near, awkwardly wrapping an arm around the younger's shoulders.

Slowly they moved until Near's head was on Mello's chest, Mello's chin was on top of it, even though he was dripping blood into Near's hair. He was also smearing blood on Near's white pajamas, holding him close. (But hell, Near already bled on his pajamas routinely at that point. They were fourteen and thirteen. Now, Near doesn't bleed. Thank god. Thank god for L and his stupid money.) 

"Near!" Mello demands attention. Near turns back to him, gaze having drifted up to the ceiling. 

"Yes, Mello?" Near smiles finally. 

"Will you… um… fuck, shit… will you dance with me?" Mello flushes a dark red. "I mean, you look pretty pathetic out here, just drifting." 

"Nice excuse," Near teases, "and I'm happy to know you've been watching over me. My fallen angel." 

"Hmph. Thanks. So…?" 

"Of course, Mello. I'm not one to turn down a dance invitation when I get zero. L promised me a dance when he learned that Linda convinced me to come… he isn't here yet, I don't think." Near sighs, taking Mello's gloved, outstretched hand. "He's always late to his own functions." 

"He promised me, too, although I tried to dissuade him. He was stubborn, though. Like you. I was just saying, 'my god, you annoying bastard, stop that.'" Near allows himself to be pulled along the dance floor, to an open spot. Mello enfolds one of his hands in his own, and wraps a hand around his waist, resting it on his back. Near smiles again, lazily. 

"You know." He places his empty hand on Mello's shoulder. "And I think we look something like yin-yang right now." Mello grins dangerously, looking at Near from below his eyelashes. Of course, that isn't hard, since he's a full six inches above Near, but it still serves the same purpose. And has the same effect. 

Near's heartbeat picks up, and when he inches closer as a slow song begins, he can hear Mello's at the same pace. They even out, and soon they're in tune. Near frowns, but smiles at the same time, and wonders how that's possible as Mello spins him around.


End file.
